Stalk feeding attachment



Feb.'27, 1945. 4 F A S 2,370,560

STALK FEEDING ATTACHMENT Filed April 27, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @mfm Patented Feb; 27, 1 945 I Lester F. Maus, Minnesota City, Minn. Application April 27, 1942 Serial No. 440,601

, v 6 Claims. (Cl. 130 -33) This invention relates to automatic feeding.

mechanism for pairs of rollsbetween which the stalks of plants, such as corn stalks, must be fed;

either for the purpose of separating the ears of corn from the stalks, or for shredding the stalks, or for other purposes. Hand feeding of such rolls is slow and frequently results in injury to the operator and the mechanical feeding devices heretofore provided have not been entirely satisfactory because-they are subject to clogging of the material at the receiving side of the bight of the" rolls. Such clogging frequently necessitates delays in the operation while the machine is shut down and cleared of the obstructing material and sometimes results in breakage or damage to they machine. stoppages are usually caused by such stalks as are presented crosswise or obliquely,

rather than longitudinally, relative to the direc- 7 tion of feed. 1

The principal object of the present inventionis to substantially eliminate such clogging by providing novel feeding mechanism adapted to deliver all stalks between the roll irrespective of their positions as they approach the rolls.

My invention also includes certain novel details of construction which will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, part side elevation and part longitudinal section through my improved feeding attachment and the adjacent por- Fig. is a fragmentary section through the machine taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig.3.

My invention is illustrated inconnection with a machine of the type having a lower pair of snapping rollsB and I and upper snapping rolls 8 and 9, all extending horizontally a-cross the machine and arranged to be power-drivenaat more than a hundred revolutions per minute. The corn stalks'Iil (Fig. 1) are drawn forcibly between these pairs of rolls while the earsof corn livery' end of this conveyor for distributing the II; being too large to pass between the rolls, are torn from the stalks and fall freely to the bottom of the machine. Forautomatically feeding the stalks to the snapping rolls a slat conveyor I2 is provided upon which the stalks are deposited and a spreading device I3 is mounted above the destalks laterally of the machine. As the ear II fall from the-stalks they may be caught on a series of husking rolls I4 suitably arranged and operated as in ordinary machines of this class. Other conventional parts of the machine may include a pair of rollers I5 adapted to receive the stalks from the snapping rolls and a conveyor l6 disposed to receive the stalks from the rollers I5 and to feed them to the shredding knives (not shown) which reduce them toshreds.

My improved feeding mechanism comprises a plurality of laterally spaced chains I1 severally mountedbetween pairs of shield plates I8 and arranged with their upper reaches extending into the bight of the lower snapping rolls 6 and 1.

Each chain I1 is trained on a sprocket wheel 19 and in an annular groove 2|! formed in the lower snapping roll 6. The several sprocket wheels l9 are fixed on a supporting shaft 2I which is parallel to the roll 6 and power-driven in the same direction as that roll and at a speed which causes the chains to travel somewhat slower than the peripheral speed of the rolls 6 and I. This causes the chains to slip in the grooves 20. As shown in Fig, 4, the shaft' 2 I,may be driven by connecting it to the slat conveyor I2 through sprocket wheels 22 and 23 and a chain 24, the sprocket wheel 23 being fixed on a shaft 25 whichcarries sprocket wheels 26-upon which the chains of the conveyor I2 are trained. Ordinarily, the conveyor I2 is power-driven through a friction clutch so. that if the feeding is obstructed at thesnapping rolls the chains IT, as well as the conveyor I 2, will stop,

" while the snapping rolls continue to operate.

One of the shield plates IB is disposed vertically and closely adjacent to each lateral face of each ,of the chains I'l. These shields are perforated to revolubly receive the shaft 2| which supports them at their rear ends and their frontends are supported on a bar 21. As best shown in Fig.

5, this bar extends longitudinally beneath the roll 6 and is suspended from bearings 28 and 29 for the roll. To slidably support the upper reach of each of the chains I! a bar 30 is mounted between the shieldplates I 8 associated therewith and each bar 30 is fastened to a pair ofbclts 3| adapted to engage the platesin perforations therein. 'The bars 3Q are sospaced from the upper edgesof the vent corn stalks, husks, grass, weeds or other obstructing material irom entering either, between the chains and sprockets. l9 or between the roll 6 and chains.

As shown in Fig; ;provision is made for 'al,-..

chine. Since the ears It cannot pass between i the rolls they are forcibly torn free from the '6 and these shields are otherwise disposed to prelowing relative movement of the rolls 6 and T sufficient to permit the passage of the corn stalks between these rolls, springs being ar ranged to press the snapping rolls of each pair together in accordance with the usuali construcs. tion. For this purpose a spring 32 may be ar;

ranged to urge the bearing 28 for theroll' 6 toward the roll I while the opposite bearing 29 for the roll 6 is fixed: on the frame and a spring 33 is arranged to urge the adjoining end of*the,

roll 1 toward the roll 6 Power for actuating the roll 6. may be transmitted through a chain to a sprocket wheel 35 fixed on the shaft supporting the roll .6: and a driving sprockettfi for the: chain 34' may be mounted on a power-driven shaft 31' which also-supports and drives the snapping roll 8 of the upper pair. The upper roll 1 of the lower pair may be driven through a. sprocket. wheel 38, a chain 39 and asprocket wheel'ML' the latter being fixed on a power-driven axial shaft 5!, which drives the top snapping roll 9 directly. To resiliently press the roll 9 towardthe roll 8, a spring 42 is suitably disposed to engage one end bearing of roll 9 and the opposite end of the roll 8 is urged toward the roll 9 by a spring 43. I I

Through pulleys on the ends of the shafts 31 and 4'! and the sprocket and chain connections hereinbefore described, the several snapping rolls are positively driven in the direction indicated by arrows in Fig. 3. These rolls are preferably formed with fluted-,knurled or otherwise rough-- and in overlapping relation to the lower pair so that the stalks cannot pass between the rolls and other vegetation on the} shaft 2|, shields 45 (Fig. 3) may be provided along this shaft. Each of these shields comprises a sheet metal cap, of

inverted U shape in cross section, extending between the side members 44 and shields l8 and also between the several shields [8 to which they may be fastened. I i

In operation the corn stalks, "usually in the form of bundles are placed, butt ends to the front,

on the slat conveyor I? which is continuously operated to feed them toward the snapping-rolls,

As each bundle approaches the snapping rolls the, band confining the stalks is severed either manually or by suitable power-driven mechanism (not shown) and, the stalks are spread laterally by the device is so that when they reach the snapping-rolls a number of them are gripped in the ght f ea h pa r of snappin ol s s m l neously and are rapidly pulled through the mathe length ofthe ears I l tofurther insure against,

size or shape.

stalks and fall between the feed chains [1 to the husking rolls [4 or to a. conveyor or suitable receptacle similarly located. The upper rolls 8 and 9 increase the capacity of the machine by separating ears of corn-from the stalks which are fed at an elevation above the rolls 1.

' Some of the stalks arevariously disposed obliquely on approximately crosswise of the direction of; feed-,fon even parallel to the snapping rolls and they are seldom either straight or unifprm in With my improved feeding attachment, such stalks as are presented at right angles or obliquely across the. chains I! are for ced down. upon the upper reaches of these chains by the overlying stalks and are therebyv carried into the'bight of the lower snappingrolls, whereupon these rolls draw them forward, thus clearing the passage for the succeeding stalks. ,For'best results I have found that the speed of movement ot the stalks through theimachineshould be progressively increased by driving the snapping rolls at a slightly higher peripheral speed than the sprocket wheels t9 and the latter at-a somewhat higher peripheral speed than the sprocket wheels 2510f the slat conveyor l2. This causes some sliding movement ofthe chains l1 relative to the roll 6 in the grooves 20.

It will be evident that the feed chains I! may 'be-extended beyondthe snapping roll 6 by provid ingsprocket wheels to the right of the roll 6, as seen in Fig. 3, upon which the chains I! are trained, but it is important to extend the upper reaches ofthese chains through the bight of the rolls in grooves or recesses in the rolls. l he several chains I! are spaced apart a sufficient distance (preferablyii' to loinches) to allow the detached ears to fall freely out of thefpathof the stalks and these chains extend back from the rolls 6 and Ta distance somewhat greater than stoppage of the ears in the path of the stalks. Severe tests of my device have demonstrated that it operates [to prevent clogging even when the stalks are extremely dry and slippery or otherwise in such condition that they could not be fed to the snapping rolls by ordinary feeding mechanism. 7

1 and 8. To prevent the winding of'weeds, leaves Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent 1s:

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination ofa pairof power-driven rolls disposed substantially horizontally, one above the other, to receive and grip stalks between their adjacent peripheries; the lower of said rolls having an annular groove in its periphery and the,

outer peri ph ery of the upper of said rolls being uninterrupted above said groove, a sprocket wheel mounted in spaced relation to said rolls and in a common planewithsaid groove, an endless chain trained'on said sprocket and in said groove; means supporting the upper reach of said chain so that it, is exposed continuously to support stalks adjacentto said rolls and means for actuating said chain to feed stalks between said rolls.

2.In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a pair of power-driven rolls disposed oneabove the other to receive and grip stalks between their'adjacent peripheries and to separate ears of corn fro-m'the stalks, a pluralityof endless. chains extending in. spaced parallel: relation to eachother, means supporting the upper reaches of said chains to extend substantially horizontally, transversely of said rolls and between the same, the lower of'said rolls being formed with annular grooves having smooth bearingsurfaces to slidably engage and guide said chains respectively, shields enclosing'opposite sides of said chains respectively, said shields being formed to leave the upper reaches of the chains projecting to afiord continuous support for the stalks adjacent to said rolls, the space between the chains being unobstructed to permit the separate ears of corn to fall between the chains, and means for actuating said chains to direct stalks between said rolls.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with power-driven rolls disposed substantially horizontally, one above the other, to receive and grip stalks between their adjacent peripheries, the lower of said rolls being formed with an annular groove to receive a chain of an endless chain extending transversely of said rolls and having its upper reach extending into said groove to support stalks extending crosswise of the chain, and said chain being operable at a lowerspeed than the rolls, shields enclosing opposite sides of said chain and means for actuating said chain at a lower speed than the rolls to direct stalks between said rolls.

' 4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a pair of power-driven rolls disposed substantially horizontally, one above the other, to receive and grip stalks between their adjacent peripheries, of an endless chain operable in a substantially vertical plane and extending into the bight of said rolls, the lower of said rolls being formed with an annular groove to receive and guide said chain and the periphery of said upper roll being uninterrupted above said groove vertically disposed shields enclosing opposite sides of said chain, means supporting the upper reach of said chain to cause the same to project continuously above the upper edges of said shields, projections on the chain having inclined surfaces for engagement with the stalks and means for actuating said chain todirect stalks between said rolls.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a pair of power-driven, corn snapping rolls disposed to receive and grip corn stalks between their adjacent peripheries, of a plurality of endless chains extending in substantially vertical planes and in spaced, parallel relation to each other, transversely of said rolls and between the same, shields enclosing the lateral faces of each of said chains, means supporting the upper reaches of the chains to cause them to project above the shields for engagement with the stalks, the spaces between the chains being unobstructed to permit the ears of corns to pass downward from the bight of the rolls, means for actuating the upper reaches of the chains toward the rolls, means for imparting vibrating movement to said shields and chains and powerdriven means for feeding stalks, with ears of corn attached, to said chains and rolls.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a pair of power-driven, corn snapping rolls disposed to receive and grip corn stalks between their adjacentperipheries, of a plurality of endless chains extending in substantially vertical planes and in spaced, parallel re- I lation to each other, transversely of said rolls and between the same, said chains being, slidable in grooves formed in the lower of said rolls, shields enclosing the lateral faces of each of said chains, the upper reaches of the chains projecting above the shields for engagement with the stalks and the spaces between chains being unobstructed to permit the ears of corn to fall from the bight of the rolls, means for actuating said chains at a lower speed than the rolls to direct stalks between said rolls and power-driven means for feeding stalks, with ears of corn attached, to said chains and rolls.

LESTER F. MAUS. 

